Working out 3betting Ranges in Tournaments

Calling 3Betting Ranges in Tournaments

Working out an opponent’s 3betting range is going to be a big help in tournaments, especially towards mid and later stages where the rewards of calling a 30BB’s stack 3bet and winning at showdown is massive.  For those who regularly make it to the mid to late stages of an MTT, the most important decisions you make will often be working against someone’s 3bet.  Spotting when a player’s 3bet is weak can earn you 50% upwards of your stack – and cement your place in the finish line.

So what seperate the pros from the amateurs?

Live Tracking Software to Find 3bet Ranges

 If you plan on playing multi-table tournaments in the long term then at some point along the line you’re going to need to use quality poker tracking software with a tournament HUD.  I personally recommend using Tournament indicator because in adition to HUD stats it also does auto M-zone calculations and pot odds.

Tournament indicator lets you calculate 3betting ranges (along with other player stats).  By looking at stats for how often someone 3bets I can narrow down their range and work out whether it’s profitable to call or fold.  A 3bet stat of 5% for example indicates a TAG players who’s only 3betting with 1010, AJ+.  You need to avoid these players.  But for a 3bet stat of 15% or more means that they are 3betting light a lot of the time with sub-premium and marginal hands like A9.

I also recommend taking notes on players.  This allows you to remember if a player shoved from LP over the top of a BB with junk or w/e.  They help a lot, and any reads you have towards the final table can go a long way to building your ROI.

Knowing What Your Opponent Will Do

3betting in tournaments is most effective when you know your opponent and what he’s thinking.  On other blogs I’ve read stories of players with 60K light 3betting 4.8k with JK offsuit.  The button then shipped it for 20k total(7-7) because he knew the 3bettor was so wide he’d never call.  The original 3bettor admitted that he could only call with around 20% of his hands, but his 3betting raange was around 25% to 35% – leaving ample room for bluffing.

In that example, the 4bet worked because the player knew precisely what his opponent’s 3betting range was. Against a lesser opponent, it would have got called.